


Two Worlds Apart

by NanaCee (AyyCeee)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, College, High School, M/M, long distance, no happy ending, sweethearts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 01:31:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17715515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AyyCeee/pseuds/NanaCee
Summary: He was so afraid to disappoint others. He disappointed the only one who should have mattered.





	Two Worlds Apart

_**January 2019.** _

"Na Jaemin, I don't care that you're about to finish your degree, but I swear to god if you don't wake up at this moment, I will not hesitate to choke you until you die." 

Jaemin groaned at the voice but proceeded to sit up from his  _comfortable_  position on his bed, groggily opening his to see his best friends of five years, Renjun who was poised to choke him and Donghyuck, who was sitting on his desk chair scrolling through his phone. 

"Well, good morning to the both of you...Aren't you quite early?" Jaemin said, kicking off the blanket away from him. 

"Jaemin, it's ten...TEN! We were supposed to meet with Mark by nine thirty!" Renjun exclaimed, reaching out to  _actually_ put his friend in a choke hold. 

Jaemin successfully evaded said choke hold, dodging him entirely as he makes his way into his en suite. 

"Seriously Jaemin, Mark is already a working person, you cannot just be late on him! My boyfriend is a well-known producer!" Donghyuck shouted at him. 

"I know! And I'm already rushing as it is!" 

"Well rush faster Na Jaemin!" 

Jaemin giggled at the antics of his friends. He missed them - well as much as someone would miss the friends he had not seen ever since  _they_ broke up. It was not like he avoided going back home just to avoid seeing  _him._ No, he was too busy going to art galleries and trying to graduate. He was too busy trying to be that person who won't disappoint once he returns to Seoul. Because  _he_ disappointed everyone, including himself. 

"You seriously waited for me, here in my room? And not go down?" Jaemin asked his friends when he saw them in front of his desk messing with his laptop. 

"And miss messing with your laptop? Absolutely not, honey." Donghyuck said smiling teasingly at his friend. 

"Why are you messing with my laptop?" Jaemin asked, toweling his hair. 

"We wanted to see your finals project! This is amazing! What are you majoring again?" Donghyuck asked, gaping at the laptop screen in front of him. 

"Art History and minoring in digital art. Come on, I'm finished getting ready. Isn't Mark waiting for us?" Jaemin asked, hanging his towel. 

"I almost forgot about him." Renjun chuckled. 

Jaemin rolled his eyes at the antics of his friends, grabbing his wallet, phone and jacket. Donghyuck and Renjun rose from their positions, grabbed their bags and all three left Jaemin's house, laughing at each other as they walked to their destination. 

"It's amazing how it's still snowing!" Renjun exclaimed, as they walked towards the restaurant where they were to meet Mark, Donghyuck's long term boyfriend. 

"You're in Seoul, Junnie...seriously, what do you think is falling here? Cherry blossoms?" Donghyuck snorted out. 

"They do fall! In the fall!" Renjun said. 

Jaemin laughed enjoying the time with his friends, because he knows -  _he knows_  - that he won't be seeing his friends after tomorrow, because he's due to return to London the day after tomorrow. 

"I see Mark guys! And...Oh my god! I'm killing Mark!" Donghyuck suddenly exclaimed, once the restaurant was in view. 

Jaemin furrowed his eyebrows together, confused at the way his friend reacted to seeing his boyfriend (who he had not seen for a few weeks due to his work) and froze when he finally saw why. 

Lee Jeno was sitting there beside Mark. Lee Jeno, the medical student, the valedictorian,  _his ex-boyfriend_. 

 

_**September 2013.** _

"You're going on a date with Lee fucking Jeno! Oh my God! Jaemin!" Donghyuck squealed at the news while Jaemin, bowed his head slightly in embarrassment. 

"Lighten up, it's just Lee Jeno." Renjun said, but smiled softly at his friend who was grinning widely. 

"Oh god! Jun! You don't get it! It's Lee Jeno! Jaemin's lon-fuck! What was that for?" Donghyuck said, rubbing the sore spot that Jaemin had just hit. 

"You're really gonna shout it all to the world?" Jaemin hissed at his friend, face going red.

They were in the cafeteria, which was buzzing with the news that senior star student, popular, soccer team captain, and valedictorian a.k.a Lee Jeno asked out the  _pretty junior_ \- yes,  _P R E T T Y ,_ and no one could deny that the pink haired junior with a smile that brighten up a person's day was pretty, really pretty. It was not like Lee Jeno was hiding any of his feelings for said pink haired junior a.k.a Na Jaemin. 

"I'm sorry! It's just that, look Jaemin, you've had a crush on Lee Jeno for since freshman year and we're going to be seniors and that is a feat," Donghyuck said. 

Renjun laughed while Jaemin covered his face with his hands, "Oh god! Hyuck!" 

"Jesus, Jaemin, everyone, and I mean, everyone in school knows that: one, Lee Jeno is gay and two, he's got hots for you ever since the start of the year." Renjun said, not noticing the new comers headed towards their table or that the whole cafeteria stopped moving to stare at the new comers.

"Au contraire, renjun, my dear friend Jeno got hots for Jaeminnie here since freshman year, he's just..." one of the new comers said, sitting beside Donghyuck, his boyfriend. 

"I was scared of being rejected Mark, can you get over it?" the second new comer said, opting to sit beside the pretty, pink haired, (blushing) junior. 

"Lee Jeno, nice to meet you in person." Doxnghyuck said, leaning over the table to stare at the star student in the eye. 

"Jesus, Hyuck, it's not like you haven't met me already..." Jeno said, leaning away from Donghyuck. 

"You're seriously gonna do this to him Jeno? When your relationship with Jaemin rides on his acceptance?" Renjun asked, biting into his pizza. 

"Fuck," Jeno mumbled. 

Everyone who knows Na Jaemin knows that in order to even talk to the pretty junior, they must go past his childhood best friend (and the boyfriend of the school's most popular, more popular than Jeno, student Mark Lee), Lee Donghyuck. And eventually, their other friend who is known to be cold and closed off, Huang Renjun.

"Good boy, aren't you, Lee?" Donghyuck said, grinning at the other. 

Jaemin giggled softly at the interaction of his crush and best friend.

This was a memory he would never forget. 

 

_**January 2019.** _

"I am so killing him, I swear to God...I'm so sorry Jaemin! When he told me he'll be bringing a friend, I honestly thought it was Johnny-hyung or Jaehyun-hyung!" Donghyuck exclaimed, fussing over his best friend who was frowning with tears building up in his eyes. 

Jaemin gulped, looking upwards to stop his tears from flowing at the sight of his ex-boyfriend. The same ex-boyfriend who he dumped. The same ex-boyfriend who he caught with a girl sleeping on his bed while he was in the bathroom showering (well aware he has a girl sleeping on his bed) on the weekend of their anniversary.

Jaemin gritted his teeth at the memory, although painful, it was something ingrained in his memory. 

 

_**September 2016.** _

Jaemin rolled his suitcase behind him, phone pressed against his phone as he listened to Donghyuck squeal in delight as he told him that he has arrived at the campus of his boyfriend's university and is headed towards the in campus housing of the students where Jeno stays as he studies there. 

  _Donghyuck:_   _Holy shit! You're really in Harvard?_

_Jaemin: yeah, I actually am...I'm so giddy...literally! This is the first time we're seeing each other for a whole year! And it's our anniversary tomorrow._

_Donghyuck: I'm so happy for you nana! This is evidently the best damn thing that would happen in his life and I tell you, he has got to be surprised when you enter his apartment._

_Jaemin: *exhales* I know! I just hope that...he'll be surprised..._

_Donghyuck: Oh! he will be, Jae! - Mark! Are you kidding me? You're a year older than me yet how could you be so stupid?_

_Jaemin: I guess this is bye?_

_Donghyuck: Yeah, sorry, I've got to go._

_Jaemin: bye now hyuckie!_

Jaemin closed his eyes as the phone call ended, pocketing his phone. And entering the building where his boyfriend stays. 

"Hello pretty thing," the receptionist greeted.

"Good morning, I'm visiting Lee Jeno?"

"Oh the korean boy? Does he know you're visiting?" 

"Uhhh..no...I'm kinda surprising him you know...since we haven't seen each other for over a year? and it's our anniversary..." 

"Anni-Ohhhh, you're the infamous boyfriend then?" 

"Probably?" 

The doorman opened a logbook and scanned it, eyes narrowing into slits before swallowing hard.  

"Yeah, he's in room 304. You've got keys?" 

"yeah, thanks."

"if you need to run, double press the elevator keys, it will help..."

"uhh...thanks but I don't think I need to run from my own boyfriend." 

"Sure thing, pretty thing..."

Jaemin smiled softly at the doorman, proceeding to the elevator. He hummed in joy at the thought of spending his anniversary with his boyfriend who he have not seen for over a year.

"Oh my god! I'm actually going to see my boyfriend..." Jaemin mumbled to himself as he walked towards Jeno's apartment. 

He took a deep breath before unlocking the door, slowly opening it as he try not to make any noise at it was only seven in the morning and Jaemin knew that seven in the morning even on a saturday for a med student, such as Jeno, is still too early. What he didn't expect was that there on the bed of his boyfriend, laid a girl (practically half naked if it weren't for the blanket covering her body) sleeping, and the sight did not fail to make tears fill his eyes and flow down his face.

"I'm probably in the wrong room? Well, no I can't be wrong, I used the key Jeno gave me." Jaemin whispered to himself, rubbing the tears.

But before he could turn and head out of the room, he heard the shower stop and some hustling before it opened, and out stepped his boyfriend in all his glory, fresh out of the shower. He's got a towel around his waist and a towel rubbing his hair dry. Jeno froze when he saw his boyfriend who has tears flowing down his face sitting on the suitcase he had brought with him – thinking that he would be spending the weekend with Jeno.

"Jaemin..."

"Why Jeno?" 

"Jae-"

"God fuck Jeno! _Why_?! That's the only thing I'm asking!" Jaemin shouted, standing up from his position, disturbing the sleep of the girl on the bed. 

"Jaemin!"

"You know what...I give up. I'm out of this place..." Jaemin said, grabbing the handle of his suitcase and walking out. 

Jeno scrambled to wear his boxers and shirt as Jaemin reached the door. 

"And to think, the receptionist actually told me a tip, do you know what it was? If I try to run, I should double press the elevator key. Funnily enough, I think I need to do so..." Jaemin said, finally getting to open the door. 

"Jaemin! Can you please wait!" Jeno shouted, finally being to put on his shirt. 

"Jeno, baby..." the girl on the bed pulled his arm, surprising him that he fell unto his bed. 

There was squeaking that Jaemin didn't want to see or hear but before he walked out of the door, he stupidly,  _stupidly_ , turned back to see Jeno and the girl  _kissing_. 

And with that, Jaemin walked out of Jeno's life and avoided him for the rest of his college life. 

 

_**January 2019.** _

"Let's just go, I came back for Mark and you guys. I don't care that he's there, honestly!" Jaemin snapped at his friends, snapping out of his reverie, and proceeding to walk towards the restaurant. 

"I am so gonna kill Mark once we get back home." Donghyuck whispered to Renjun, who sighed as he agreed with his friend. 

Jaemin's good mood was gone, poof, gone! And all four of them were going to reap the consequences of it. 

 

"Holy shit! He's already inside!" Renjun shouted, running to the door as Jaemin entered. 

Donghyuck swore as he ran towards the door. 

Inside the restaurant, Mark smiled at the sight of the art student who smiled back at him before glaring at the medical student beside the producer. 

"He-"

"I'm here for Mark, thank you very much, I don't have time for you...How's the girl?" Jaemin asked Jeno, proceeding to open the menu. 

"Look, Nana-"

"Jaemin..."

"'-Jaemin-"

"Waiter!"

"-Look, Jaemin, please just-"

"what can I do for you sir?"

"-Jaemin...I'm sorr-"

"Can I please have a carbonara pasta with a slice of garlic bread and a glass of iced tea...thank you." Jaemin told the waiter who nodded and took note of his order.

“Any else?” The waiter asked Renjun and Donghyuck, whom had just arrived.

"Can you talk to me now?" Jeno asked, annoyance hinted in his voice as he stared at the art student.

"So mar-"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Jaemin, I'm trying to talk to you! Stop avoiding me like you had for the past three years!" Jeno shouted at Jaemin. 

"What do you want me to say, Jeno? That I missed you? God! And you're a medical student? Did you become stupid because you kept banging the girl?" Jaemin shouted back. 

There he had said it, the elephant in the room. He finally had said what his - their - friends have been waiting for, the answer to the question:  _Why did they break up?_

"Jaemin, come on! You didn't let me explain then! At least let me explain now!" 

Jaemin scoffed, but smiled at the waiter who had just arrived with his order. Renjun, Mark and Donghyuck leaned away from the ex-couple. From the years they knew of the two, they know that they can get vocal during their arguments and this one would be a very vocal argument. 

"You seriously think you can just explain this to me? You were making out with the girl while I was walking out! Oh come on Jeno, you have no right to explain." Jaemin said, stuffing a spoonful of pasta in his mouth, glaring at the boy in front of him. 

"Jaemin, I'm sorry, seriously...I'm being honest here." Jeno said. 

"And your sorry is honestly not accepted."

Their argument started to become more vocal, harsh whispers exchanged between the two of them and Mark have had enough of their argument, especially since they were in a restaurant.  

"Enough! This has got too far! You both have to talk this out, peacefully, Jesus Christ, you have to stop all of this...I want the two of you to shut up and eat this lunch with us _peacefully_ then go back someplace, preferably, either of your houses to talk this out...Jesus, I came back from LA to have a nice peacefully lunch with my friends and boyfriend, who I haven't seen for quite a while because one is in Harvard, the other in London, and another in Beijing while my boyfriend is in New York. You see where I'm getting at here?" Mark snapped at Jeno and Jaemin. 

The ex-couple shut up and proceeded with the lunch as friends and three hours later had bid goodbye to each other, Jeno grabbing Jaemin's arm before the latter tried to run away. 

"You’re not going anywhere, Jaemin, we're going back to my house so that we could talk, civilly, if possible." Jeno said, tightly holding Jaemin's arm. 

"I don't think so," Jaemin said, trying to shake off his arm. 

"Jaemin, please..."

"Fine! if you really you want to talk to me, Let's go and talk! I have to pack for my flight soon and I plan to spend my last day in Seoul for the rest of the year with my friends, thank you very much...now let go of me and let's go to your house so that we can talk it out." 

Jeno smiled and finally released Jaemin's arms, grabbing his hand instead. Jaemin grumbled but did not protest, instead he closed his hand tightly. 

 

"Welcome back, Jaemin..." Jeno said as he opened the door to his house. 

"Where's your parents?" Jaemin asked, ignoring what the other said, taking off his shoes.

"In Jeju, with my grandparents."

"Well then, start talking, I have luggage to pack." Jaemin said, sitting on the familiar couch in the very familiar living room of the very familiar house. 

Jeno deeply breathe in and out, sitting down beside Jaemin and grabbing his hand, making Jaemin look at him. 

"I was so afraid, you know, I was afraid of disappointing you, my parents, everyone else...and fuck, in the end I did disappoint them."

"Jen-"

"Do you know what they said to me when they found out, when I told them that you're not coming back to this house again after you saw everything? I explained to them what happened, and they told me, ‘you did not disappoint us, Jeno...You just gave up on everything you know about Jaemin.’ and that hit me so hard, and I realized that  I really did gave up. I was scared and afraid of what would happen between us as we study in two different cities, with two different timezones...I gave up on you, Jaemin, and decided to take the easy way out and  _cheated._ "

Jaemin scoffed, "Oh Jeno, you honestly the problem was you cheating? No, the problem was you not  _chasing_  me when I walked out of the apartment...Jeno! Seriously, you let yourself be pulled by the girl and made out with her, when you could have had the chance to chase  _me_ , but you didn't and you let me go...that's the problem with all of this."

"I'm so sorry Jaemin! I was so scared of disappointing you and I did...oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Jeno cried out, tears starting to flow from his eyes. 

"Jeno, you didn't disappoint me...you just cheated on me...and I chose to walk out  _slowly_ , for you to reach me, but you decided to make out with the same girl I found sleeping on your bed. And when you didn't chase me down, I decided that it was the end for our relationship..."

"Re-Relationship...?" Jeno sputtered out. 

"Relationship, Jeno. Me, you, being a couple? is done. we're done. three years ago."

"Oh..."

"Yes oh...now please let go, I have to go now," Jaemin said, slightly cold.

"Can't we try again?" 

"I do-" Jaemin started but his phone rang, smiling brightly when he saw the caller id. 

_"Hey, baby, I miss you so much...when are you coming back?"_

"Hey, babe..." Jaemin started, side eyeing the reaction of the boy who had let go of his hand when he heard his reply, "I've got my flight scheduled for the day after tomorrow....yes, I know, I miss you too, love you, bye."

Jeno stared at Jaemin as he talked to the person on the phone, eyes bright and smile wide, like he once used to when he was with him or was talking about him or to him. 

"That's why?" Jeno asked as the call ended.

"Yeah, 1 year and a half..."

"Oh,"

Jaemin smiled softly at him, "I guess this is goodbye, Jeno." 

"Let me see you out the door...the least I could do for you." 

"Sure."

Slowly they walked towards the front door of the house, enjoying the silence with each other, slowly putting their shoes.

"Look Jeno, I know this talk has been short but I do believe this is for the best." Jaemin said, after they put on their shoes. 

"I know. And I'm sorry for everything, Jaemin." 

Jaemin reached out to touch his cheek and leaned in to kiss it one last time, and when he pulled away he smiled at Jeno. 

"Bye Jeno, I hope to see you be that successful doctor soon." 

"And I hope to see you with your own firm soon, Jaemin." 

And with that, Jaemin turned his back on Jeno, giving one last look back and waved before walking away. 

 

**_January 2028._ **

"Congratulations on your wedding, Jaemin."

"Thank you Jeno...I heard about the promotion and the engagement."  

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first long fic here on AO3. I write social media aus on twitter: @nanauwubot  
> and i also have a cc: auwu_
> 
> thank you for the support in this!


End file.
